Caribbean Matters: How Puerto Rico became a US colony

I don’t remember being taught in high school about the United States invading Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War and then never leaving. I do know that Puerto Rico has been allocated the status of a “territory of the United States,” language that obfuscates its position in reality. But this country has an allergy to being dubbed a colonizer, even though the U.S. government has now been firmly entrenched in Puerto Rico for 126 years. Puerto Rico is also designated as a “Free Associated State,” and a “Commonwealth” which are cloudy, unclear descriptions that cover up how it is really governed, and who has the ultimate say on its status.

Join me in exploring that history.

“Caribbean Matters” is a weekly series from Daily Kos. If you are unfamiliar with the region, check out Caribbean Matters: Getting to know the countries of the Caribbean.